Just a week out from the PGA Championship showcase, the top talent in the Tour met again and on a course considered home for the world leader in Scottie Scheffler. The CJ Cup took place in Texas at the TPC Craig Ranch, a course where many low finishes were charted throughout the multiple rounds. In what many expected to be a hometown storybook ending with a win by Scheffler, Wyndham Clark had other ideas. Since joining the Tour in 2019 this is Clark’s fourth career win, and first in 206 thus far. It didn’t come easy having to fight off Scheffler and Si Woo Kim by three shots, but was worth every second of competition. Now with his name in the win column for this season, he can continue to battle for more while taking time ahead of The Memorial Tournament.
Veteran Wyndham Clark Stays Poised Throughout
This fourth career win by Clark did not come in dominant fashion, but rather showcased his skill to stay poised. With two of the top athletes in the sport of golf breathing down his neck, he was able to capitalize when it mattered most in his putting game. Finishing his championship round with an impressive 60, many should be eager to see if this can become a trend for the rest of the season.
“I look at Pebble, it was amazing, but that one, I was so close to shooting 59. At that golf course, that would have been just epic,” Clark said. “This one, really 59 wasn’t necessarily in the cards. I’m just really proud of myself that I didn’t waver and I didn’t sit back and just try to hit to 20 feet and kind of leak my way in there. I was still very aggressive.”
Clark has had a quiet run since his last win two years ago, at the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Grabbing a much deserved victory has not only upped his confidence, but put his name back on the radar of others in the league. Taking home a $1,854,00 winning purse, and just one shot short of Scheffler’s winning score a year ago of 253.
“I felt pretty comfortable, but I knew I had to put the pedal to the metal and keep making birdies,” Clark said. “I made more than I thought I was going to make, that’s for sure.”
Clark Technically Sound In Win
Competing in a field like such is a feat in every which way, to then work your way up the leaderboard for a victory is storybook. Clark took his time and stayed true to his practice, making sure to stay sound all around. The 32-year-old, according to reports, was sixth in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. He was 11th in SG: Approach to Green, first in SG: Putting and tied for seventh in greens in regulation. Clark made 28 birdies, the second-most for the week.
“Here it just almost felt like I was playing at home, and every hole was a new hole,” Clark said. “I didn’t worry that I just made six birdies or that I needed to make more. I just was like, all right, I have this 20-footer. I see it left edge, and I’d hit it, and it would go in. It was a different zone than I’ve been in before, that’s for sure.”
After securing a big time win, Clark had decided to skip out on the Charles Schwab Challenge. It’s not reported when he will be in action next, but can be expected to be seen at the Memorial Tournament looking for his second of the season.
Main Photo Credit: © Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
